October’s Project Nexus Forum was an opportunity for entrepreneurs to meet and mingle with other start-up founders. They also heard first-hand from a local founder about his business journey and the difference being in Denver South has made to his company.
Christine Shapard, VP of Economic Development at Denver South, introduced the meeting and explained the mission of Project Nexus – to build a network to give entrepreneurs and start-ups the resources they need. Although Denver South has many large companies in its region, there are many successful local entrepreneurs and homegrown companies who the organization wants to help take off. She went on to introduce Leigh Fatzinger, CEO of Turbine Labs, as the main speaker of the event.
Turbine Labs is a software company that delivers accurate, unbiased intelligence to high-level decision-makers to help inform critical business decisions. The software company provides intelligence briefings to business executives that include media, insights, and data relevant to each customer’s interest or industry. Additionally, Turbine Labs empowers executives to position themselves as thought leaders within their field. The company’s advanced AI technology identifies reputable news stories and influencer commentary that validates and enhances existing thought leadership content written by the executive. Its clients come from a range of industries, including financial services, insurance, legal, and telecom.
Leigh founded the company in 2014 here in Denver South. Now with a team of around 20 employees, he bootstrapped the company from the beginning. Leigh is a local Coloradan and Heritage High School graduate who has been a serial entrepreneur in different parts of the US. He has founded three companies and sold two of them. Having spent time in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay area, he returned to his roots and founded Turbine Labs. For him, Colorado was the best place to start a company with no external funding; he considered it much more affordable than the other cities he had lived and worked in.
For him, the company’s Denver South location plays a large role in the company’s growth. He believes the Denver metro area has a strong local identity that resonates with employees. He believes that his company can be more “homey” here and feels that his employees are more loyal because of it. Over the last 18 months he has seen his company work more efficiently in spite of the challenges of the pandemic.
He believes in the future of Denver South as a region and appreciates the amenities on offer. As a local founder, he likes being surrounded by other local companies. For his employees, he sees the attractions of the growing number of entertainment venues like Pindustry, that are emerging in Denver South. He likened the area to “Boulder in the 70s” and sees it as an increasingly popular place for talented people to live and work. He values the transportation infrastructure, with a reliable light rail system and easy access to freeways. He mentioned his own company’s neighborhood in proximity to up-and-coming residential areas like Englewood and Broadway South, which are easily accessible by car, scooter, or bike.
If you would like to get involved with Project Nexus, as a start-up, investor, or community supporter, there are opportunities for everyone.
